Bicycle exerciser having adjustable handle

ABSTRACT

A bicycle exercising device includes two foot pedals rotatably attached to a base, a seat post for supporting the users, a column extended from the base, a lever pivotally attached to the column and a handle device pivotally supported on the lever. An adjusting device is coupled between the column and the handle device, for adjusting the handle device relative to the column and the seat cushion to any selected positions. The handle device includes two side hand grips and a lateral hand grip coupled between the side hand grips to form a U-shaped structure, and a bar coupled between the side hand grips. An auxiliary adjusting device may further support the handle device on the lever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bicycle exercising device orexerciser, and more particularly to a bicycle exercising device having ahandle adjustable toward and away from the seat and the users, forallowing the bicycle exercising device to be suitably operated by usersof different sizes or heights.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical bicycle exercising devices comprise a transmission box driven byfoot pedals, and a handle extended or provided on top of the base, forsupporting the upper portions of the users. Normally, the handleportions are solidly and firmly disposed and secured on top of the base,and may not be moved or adjusted relative to the base and the seats andthe users, such that the typical bicycle exercising devices may not besuitably operated by users of different sizes or heights.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,790 to Hokajärvi discloses one of thetypical bicycle exercising devices which also comprises a pair of footpedals provided to be rotated or driven by the users, and a handlesolidly and firmly disposed and secured on top of the base. The handlealso may not be moved or adjusted relative to the seats and the users,such that the typical bicycle exercising devices also may not besuitably actuated or operated by users of different sizes or heights.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,164 to Tseng discloses another typical bicycleexercising device which also comprises a pair of foot pedals provided tobe rotated or driven by the users, and a handle pivotally or rotatablycoupled to a wheel via a gearing device and/or a chain and sprocketcoupling device, for allowing the handle to be moved or pulledalternatively toward and away from the seats and the users. However, thehandles should be alternatively pushed and pulled toward and away fromthe seats and the users, but also may not be adjusted relative to theusers, such that the typical bicycle exercising devices also may not besuitably actuated or operated by users of different sizes or heights.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional bicycle exercisingdevices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a bicycleexercising device including a handle adjustable toward and away from theseat and the users, for allowing the bicycle exercising device to besuitably actuated and operated by users of different sizes or heights.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided abicycle exercising device comprising a base, a pair of foot pedalsrotatably attached to and supported on the base with a spindle andcranks, for being operated by users, a seat post extended upwardly fromthe base, and having a seat cushion attached thereon, for supporting theusers thereon, a column extended upwardly from the base, and includingan upper portion, a lever including a lower portion pivotally attachedto the upper portion of the column with a pivot axle, and including anupper portion, a handle device pivotally supported on the upper portionof the lever, and an adjusting device coupled between the upper portionof the column and the handle device, for adjusting the handle devicerelative to the column, and relative to the seat post and the seatcushion to any suitable or selected positions, and thus for allowingvarious users of different sizes or heights to suitably or comfortablyoperate or actuate the exercise device.

The adjusting device is an actuator coupled between the handle deviceand the upper portion of the column, to adjustably support the handledevice on the column. The column includes a block provided on the upperportion thereof, and the actuator includes a lower end pivotallyattached to the block with a pivot pin and/or a bracket, and includes anupper portion pivotally attached to the handle device.

The actuator may be a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or otheractuators, such as motor-driven-bolt adjusting device, gearing adjustingdevice, sprocket-and-chain adjusting device, pulley-and-belt adjustingdevice, etc.

The handle device includes a bar provided thereon, and at least one stemextended from the bar and having a free end portion pivotally attachedto the upper portion of the lever with a pivot axle. The handle deviceincludes a U-shaped structure having two side hand grips and a lateralhand grip coupled between the side hand grips to form the U-shapedstructure, and the bar is coupled between the side hand grips, for suchas reinforcing the U-shaped structure of the handle device.

The handle device includes a beam secured between the lateral hand gripand the bar. The actuator include a control knob attached thereto, foractuating the actuator to adjust the handle device relative to thecolumn and the seat post and the seat cushion, and arranged to allow theusers to actuate or operate the control knob while conducting thetypical cycling or riding exercises or operations.

An auxiliary adjusting device may further be provided and pivotallycoupled between the handle device and the lever, to further solidly orstably support the handle device relative to the lever and relative tothe seat post and the seat cushion at the selected positions.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a bicycle exercising device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial rear perspective view of the bicycleexercising device;

FIG. 3 is another enlarged partial rear perspective view of the bicycleexercising device, as seen from the direction different from that shownin FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side schematic view of the bicycle exercising device; and

FIG. 5 is a side schematic view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating theoperation of the bicycle exercising device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a bicycleexercising device 10 in accordance with the present invention comprisesa base 11 including a pair of foot pedals 12 rotatably attached to thebase 11 with a conventional spindle 13 and cranks 14, for being drivenor ridden or operated by the users to conduct the conventional cyclingexercises, and including a seat post 15 provided or extended upwardlyfrom such as the rear portion of the base 11, and having a seat cushion16 attached or provided thereon, for supporting the users thereon.

The bicycle exercising device 10 further includes a column 17 extendedupwardly from such as the front portion of the base 11, for pivotallyand adjustably supporting a handle device 30 thereon, the handle device30 may further include a control device or a control panel (not shown)provided on top thereof for controlling the exercising device 10. Aconventional weight or wheel (not shown) may further be provided androtatably supported on the base 11, and coupled to the spindle 13 andthe cranks 14 or the foot pedals 12, for applying a resistive forceagainst the cycling operation of the foot pedals 12 of the bicycleexercising device 10. The column 17 includes a block 18 provided orsecured on or extended from the upper portion thereof.

One or more, such as two levers 20 each includes a lower portion 21pivotally or rotatably attached to the block 18, or attached to theupper portion of the column 17 with a pivot axle 19, and each includesan upper portion 22 for pivotally or rotatably attaching or supportingthe handle device 30 thereon. The handle device 30 includes asubstantially U-shaped structure having two side hand grips 31, 32, anda lateral hand grip 33 coupled between one end portions of the two sidehand grips 31, 32, to form the U-shaped structure, and further includesa bar 34 coupled between the intermediate portions of the two side handgrips 31, 32, to reinforce the handle device 30.

The handle device 30 further includes one or more, such as two stems 35secured to or extended from the bar 34, and each having a free endportion 36 pivotally or rotatably attached to the upper portion 22 ofthe lever 20 with a pivot axle 37, to allow the handle device 30 and thestems 35 to be pivoted or rotated relative to the lever 20 with thepivot axle 37. It is preferable that the handle device 30 furtherincludes a beam 38 attached thereon, such as secured between theintermediate portions of the lateral hand grip 33 and the bar 34, andfurther includes one or more, such as two brackets 39 secured to orextended from the bean 38, for pivotally coupling the other elements ormembers, which will be discussed hereinafter.

An adjusting means or device or actuator 40 may further be provided andpivotally coupled between the handle device 30 and the block 18 or theupper portion of the column 17, to adjust and to maintain or to retainthe handle device 30 relative to the block 18 or the column 17, andrelative to the seat post 15 and the seat cushion 16 to or at anyselected positions. For example, the adjusting device or actuator 40includes a lower portion 41 pivotally or rotatably attached to the upperportion of the column 17 or the block 18 with a pivot pin 42, and anupper portion 43 pivotally or rotatably attached to the handle device30, such as to the beam 38 of the handle device 30 with a pivot pin 44.

For example, the adjusting device or actuator 40 includes a bracket 45attached to the upper portion 43 thereof for pivotally or rotatablyattached to the one of the brackets 39 of the beam 38 of the handledevice 30 with the pivot pin 44, to allow the handle device 30 to berotated or adjusted relative to the lever 20 about the pivot axle 37,and to allow the handle device 30 and the lever 20 to be rotated oradjusted relative to the block 18 or relative to the upper portion ofthe column 17 about the pivot axle 19, to any suitable or selectedangular positions.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the handle device 30 and thelever 20 may thus be rotated or moved or adjusted relative to the seatpost 15 and the seat cushion 16 to any selected positions. The adjustingdevice or actuator 40 may include a control switch or a control knob 46attached to the upper portion 43 thereof for actuating or operating theadjusting device or actuator 40, to adjust the handle device 30 relativeto the seat post 15 and the seat cushion 16.

An auxiliary adjusting means or device or actuator 50 may further beprovided and pivotally coupled between the handle device 30 and thelever 20, to further maintain or support the handle device 30 relativeto the lever 20, and relative to the seat post 15 and the seat cushion16 at the selected positions. For example, the auxiliary adjustingdevice or actuator 50 includes a lower portion having a bracket 51 forpivotally or rotatably attaching to a bracket 23 of the lever 20 (FIGS.2, 3) with a pivot pin 24, and an upper portion having another bracket52 for pivotally or rotatably attaching to the other bracket 39 of thebeam 38 or of the handle device 30 with a pivot pin 53, to furtherstably support the handle device 30 on the lever 20 and the column 17.

The adjusting devices 40, 50, as illustrated, may be a pneumatic orhydraulic actuator or cylinder 40, 50 for adjusting and maintaining orretaining the handle device 30 and the lever 20 relative to the block 18or the column 17 and the seat post 15 and the seat cushion 16 at theselected positions. However, the adjusting devices 40, 50 may also bethe motor-driven-bolt adjusting device, gearing adjusting device,sprocket-and-chain adjusting device, pulley-and-belt adjusting device,etc., to adjust and maintain the handle device 30 relative to the block18 or the column 17 and the seat post 15 and the seat cushion 16 at theselected positions, and thus for allowing the users of different sizesor heights to suitably actuate and operate the bicycle exercisingdevice.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the control switch or controlknob 46 may be easily operated or actuated by the users to adjust thehandle device 30 relative to the block 18 or the column 17, and relativeto the seat post 15 and the seat cushion 16, and preferably arranged toallow the users to actuate or operate the control switch or control knob46 while conducting the cycling or riding exercises or operations.

It is to be noted that the stems 35 may be solidly secured to orextended from the bar 34, and thus rotated in concert with the bar 34,to allow the handle device 30 and the stems 35 to be pivoted or rotatedrelative to the lever 20 with the pivot axle 37. However, alternatively,the stems 35 may also be pivotally or rotatably coupled to the bar 34,to allow the handle device 30 to be pivoted or rotated relative to thelever 20 and also relative to the bar 34. The auxiliary adjusting deviceor actuator 50 may adjust and support the handle device 30 relative tothe lever 20 at the required or suitable angular positions.

Accordingly, the bicycle exercising device in accordance with thepresent invention includes a handle adjustable toward and away from theseat and the users, for allowing the bicycle exercising device to besuitably actuated and operated by users of different sizes or heights.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A bicycle exercising device comprising: a base, a pair of foot pedalsrotatably attached to and supported on said base with a spindle andcranks, for being operated by users, a seat post extended upwardly fromsaid base, and having a seat cushion attached thereon, for supportingthe users thereon, a column extended upwardly from said base, andincluding an upper portion, a lever including a lower portion pivotallyattached to said upper portion of said column with a pivot axle, andincluding an upper portion, a handle device pivotally supported on saidupper portion of said lever, and an adjusting means coupled between saidupper portion of said column and said handle device, for adjusting saidhandle device relative to said column, and relative to said seat postand said seat cushion to selected positions.
 2. The bicycle exercisingdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjusting means is anactuator coupled between said handle device and said upper portion ofsaid column, to adjustably support said handle device on said column. 3.The bicycle exercising device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said columnincludes a block provided on said upper portion thereof, said actuatorincludes a lower end pivotally attached to said block with a pivot pin,and an upper portion pivotally attached to said handle device.
 4. Thebicycle exercising device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuatoris a pneumatic cylinder.
 5. The bicycle exercising device as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.
 6. The bicycleexercising device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said handle deviceincludes a bar provided thereon, and at least one stem extended fromsaid bar and having a free end portion pivotally attached to said upperportion of said lever with a pivot axle.
 7. The bicycle exercisingdevice as claimed in claim 6, wherein said handle device includes aU-shaped structure having two side hand grips and a lateral hand gripcoupled between said side hand grips to form said U-shaped structure,and said bar is coupled between said side hand grips.
 8. The bicycleexercising device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said handle deviceincludes a beam secured between said lateral hand grip and said bar. 9.The bicycle exercising device as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidactuator include a control knob attached thereto, for actuating saidactuator to adjust said handle device relative to said column and saidseat post and said seat cushion.
 10. The bicycle exercising device asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary adjusting devicepivotally coupled between said handle device and said lever, to supportsaid handle device relative to said lever and relative to said seat postand said seat cushion at the selected positions.